Parallelisms Between Essays - Religion, Mythology,

Parallelisms Between Greek and Roman Mythology Western Civ I Greek and Roman mythology have many similarities between them. Each type has there own set of Gods and Goddesses, although they were worshiped for similar reasons. The following will explain each God or Goddess and explain how they compare to each other. The King of Gods in Greek Mythology is known as Zeus. Zeus was the ruler of the sky, and had the power to create thunderstorms and lightning as well as earthquakes. He was the child of Cronus and Rhea. As the story goes he was their sixth child, and the father to protect him from being overthrown had eaten the five previous children. Zeus was taken to a city called Crete and hidden from his father. As Zeus grew older and learned of what happened he found a potion to make his father regurgitate the other children. Once this happened they all teamed up and killed their father. Zeus then became the ruler of Mount Olympus, and head of the new line of Gods. Jupiter was the predominant power holder of Roman Gods. He was ruler of the sky, the daylight, all the weather, and even the thunder and lightening. Jupiter helped drive back the Sabines. His temple was built in the Capitol, and newly elected counsels offered their first prayers to him. Hera was the wife and sister of Zeus, and the High Goddess of the Greeks. She was extremely jealous of the affairs that her husband was having and often tormented or harmed the mistresses he was fooling around with. Although, when she went too far, or tried to cause death, Zeus would intervene and stop her. Hera tried to ship wreak Heracles on his return from Troy, and with that Zeus had her hung by the wrists from top of the mountain with an anvil tied to each ankle. The two had four children together. Juno, Hera's counterpart, was the wife of Jupiter. Juno was the protector of women, especially those who are married. Women often gave offerings to Juno to help with their childbirth. The God of the Underworld, Hades, was the brother of Zeus. He gained Hell, as his share in conquering their father. He is most known for kidnapping his wife, Persephone, while she was picking flowers in a field. As the story goes, Hades had her eat a piece of food in the Underworld, therefore she could not live on the Earth again. Her father, Zeus, made arrangements for her to be allowed on Earth for two-thirds of the year and in the Underworld as Hade's wife for the rest of the time. This is used as the cause of spring and winter. When she returns to the surface she brings spring with her and when she returns to the Underworld she leaves winter behind her. Pluto, the Roman God of the Underworld, who's name also means rich. It reflects the rich mineral resources beneath the ground and the rich resources above the earth. In art he is shown with the Horn of Plenty. This horn is most likely why we associate the Devil, or Satan, as having a horn on top of his head. His name was thought of to be bad luck, and therefore was hardly mentioned in myths. Ares was the child of Zeus and Hera. He was the God of War. Whenever he was seen or portrayed he would be fully armed and ready for battle. Any cause to fight or go to war would bring him out and about. He was the discomfited lover of Aphrodite. Almost all of his children by mortal women were of a violent nature. Mars, The Roman God of War and Agriculture, was the second most important god after Jupiter. The month March was named after Mars, and was also the first month of the Roman calendar. March was the month when agriculture was reborn and when most people engaged in war. Mars was given his own priest and altar in Rome. The wolf and woodpecker were the sacred animals of Mars. A festival in October was held in his honor and all farmers and soldiers would lay aside their weapons and had a celebration. The Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty was Aphrodite. She

Essay Sample on the Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard

Essay Sample on the Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard deals with many issues that help shape humans. Ballard presents many issues which help shape humans to think and act, especially the character Jim. The maturation of Jim is a major importance because he is able to adapt to different surroundings and also to different people. Jim’s maturation lasts through the entire book and takes a long time because he is constantly changing his attitude and environment. Jim is a British boy living in Shanghai, he is rich and is used to servants doing things for him but then ends up in concentration camps were he has to care for himself. For Jim this would have been a big change that would have been difficult to adapt to, especially someone who is used to servants and coolies doing everything for you. Another hard change for him would have been not having his parents around and because of this was not taken care of and also had to basically be slave for everyone in the camp. Having to run around for everyone else is very demanding on a person especially if they are starving and having malnutrition problems. This makes the reader feel empathy for Jim and makes you hope that better things will come for him. While Jim slaved for Basie, we feel empathy for Jim because he is wasting his energy while Basie just relaxes and watches Jim tire himself out, in this part of the book I felt deeply for Jim because he isn’t realising that he is just about killing himself just to make a friend that doesn’t actually like him but is just using him. For me this was depressing because you wouldn’t think someone could be that shameless in using a 8 year old kid as your slave and then faking to be his friend, Basie even tried to sell Jim but this didn’t seem to affect Jim. While Jim is in Longhua Camp it makes you think what you would do in Jim’s place because some conflicts really get you thinking if you would do that if you had to live. I would find it hard to fake that someone is still alive when they are dead just in order to get food, but likes Jim’s maturation in the mind you find ways of bypassing thoughts like this and just do what is necessary for staying alive. In this situation the environment does shape people to think and act differently. While Jim was in the Olympic Stadium we really get to know all the feelings of all the characters, especially Jim’s feelings for Mr Maxted. This situation is quite emotional for Jim and is basically the only time he cries, so from this we learn that Jim is becoming more mature and is having strong relationships with certain people. This situation seemed to show the more mature Jim that was forming strong bonds with people. The Olympic Stadium defiantly made humans think and act. Ballard has done a great job in making humans think and act differently through different environments that also shape characters personalities.

Strategic Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 6

Strategic Management - Assignment Example The company’s strategic goals should complement one’s objectives, and has to be a benchmark that the individual uses to analyse self-progress. The other important facet includes assessment of ones skills and check if they are sufficient to achieve the organisational aims (Stringham, 2012). Skill and professionalism are congruent aspects that must be used simultaneously to enable a person rise to the echelons of their occupation. Skill can be acquired through continuous practise and learning. Learning cuts across all the forces that ignite critical thinking and judgement, through exposure to different environments, and challenges. In the document, several facets contributing to personal and professional growth have been comprehensively elucidated. The strategic goals may include working for the organisation for a defined period then branch off to their private practise. There is need for proper roadmap and planning, in order, to realize the ultimate goal in the profession (Hill and Jones, 2012). Higher remuneration: One of the targets in career advancement is having a better paycheque. Increased remuneration comes from a steady increase in the performance at work, and through accumulated experience in the given role. The mentioned factors will enable one have a stronger bargaining power, and contributing to a rise in career level. Superior role and title: the most significant career goal is to be able to rise through the career ladder to the apex of the field of specialization. The target includes advancing in the organisation in terms of responsibilities and having a bigger title. The two points will also contribute to personal satisfaction and motivation in the workplace. Higher influence: during the progression through occupational ranks, one expects to develop more influence through the new positions acquired. The higher influence also signifies professional maturity, which further supports

Understanding of Israel and Palestine Conflict Based on Readings Literature review

Understanding of Israel and Palestine Conflict Based on Readings - Literature review Example The Zhids according to Z are those Jews in the Diaspora who considers themselves to be decent, clean, and different from other Jews. This interview opens up a very interesting subjecting regarding the current fate and situation that the Israelis or the Jews find themselves in. Z argues that being good, and trying to be moral as the Jews were seen to be before the Lebanon invasion is what made the Jews lose their perceived land, from the Suez Canal to the Oil fields to the Arabs and the Semites. He asserts that it is the reason as to why the Holocaust happened in the first place. Z says that he is ready to take up arms and go to war just to see Israel returns to glory, get back what they lost to the Arabs and gain the respect they deserve. Acting to be clean and moral will not do the Jews any good, â€Å"†¦just like it did not do them any good in Berlin and Vienna† (Oz 92). Z is ready to kill and displace all the Arabs and is very ready and will to do all the dirty work. H e argues that it is worse for a people to let their women to be made into lampshades and their children into soaps than it is its tormentors. It is, therefore, very clear that the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israeli is solely due to the Israelis quest to reclaim the West Bank, which they claim is rightfully their land. If Z’s arguments and documentary can be taken to represent that of many other Jews, then it can clearly be seen why the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians cannot end any time soon. The comparison of this war by Z with the Americans civilization war when they chased out the Indians to take control seems to be a motivating factor. Z argues that it is better to have a bad history and a respected and feared future a good, moral history with nothing to show for in terms of numbers and land. This, he blames on their forefathers for failing to conquer the world through war (Oz 96). Reading and reflecting on David Grossman’s book, The Yel low Wind, where he discusses his trip to Deihesha an interview with the teachers and children in the Deihesha kindergarten, more insight and light is shed on the Israeli-Palestine conflict. According to David Grossman’s interviews, the Palestinians are seen to be suffering under the rule of Israel. Their involvement in the conflict is seen due to their quest of reclaiming their land, which they claim that had been taken by the Jews. In this excerpt, it can be seen that the Palestinians living in camps, in the West Bank believe that the only solution to their plight is through taking up arms and going to war as is asserted by one of the kindergarten teachers, â€Å"†¦ what was taken by force can only be reclaimed by force† (Grossman 22). It shocking that they do not even trust that Arafat’s efforts of trying to negotiate peace with Israel are the solution neither do they trust their own soldiers.  

A Multimedia Thesis Project Essay Example for Free

A Multimedia Thesis Project Essay During the 16th-17th century, when the Philippines was still under the control of Spain, the Jesuit Historian, Father Pedro Chirino, wrote in 1604 about the baptism of two deaf Filipino in Dulac, Leyte by Father Francisco De Otaco. Father Ramon De Prado, the vice-provincial priest taught these two deaf Filipinos and they were the first deaf Filipino who learned to use the Filipino Sign Language. The older Deaf, Raymundo shared his knowledge to five to ten deaf men during a mission. 300 years later, the first influence of American Sign Language came here in the Philippines thru Delight Rice, the hearing American teacher who established the School for the Deaf in 1907 in Manila (PDRC and PFD. 2004.) The school still exists today as the Philippines School for the Deaf (PSD) (HV 2474 F55 2005 Pt.1 from DLS-CSB). Filipino Sign Language is certainly natural and a unique visual language of the Deaf Filipinos. The grammar, structure and syntax or arrangements of the Filipino Sign Language (FSL) are equal or the same as in the spoken language. FSL has its Filipino Deaf culture and identity. However, Filipino Sign Language is not a written system. (Philippine Deaf Resource Center, Inc., Macky Calbay and Raphael Domingo) Sign languages communicate ideas through hands like spoken languages. However, sign languages do not need sounds and voice. It needs hands, face and other parts of the body to communicate in visual ways. The visual signs, helps the deaf to understand the message it conveys through the eyes. Signs must be clear in order to be understood in the eyes of the deaf, which the brain process, interprets and meanings comprehended. The basic parts of signs are hand shapes, location, movement, palm orientation and non-manual signals. Many people think of sign languages as a language of the hands but the research in linguistics revealed that sign language includes not only one or both hands, but also the different parts of the trunk, arms, neck, head and face. Hand shape, movement and number of hands used may be grouped together. A sign language follows many groups of rules. The parts of signs and their meanings, whole, signs, and the grammar of sentences are separate rules. Several words are put together to form a sentence, and the exchange of these sentence forms a dialogue. Examples of dialogue are conversations, stories, humor and poetry. When a sign is produced by itself, it may look different from when it is actually used in a conference. The important part of the sign language is the connection between two or more conversing people. Social factors are important in studying signs during the conference. It is because the sign language is not only for relaying messages but also for social interaction. The sign used for a word is influenced by one’s emotions. For example, the word â€Å"sorry† is signed in just one way, but when added with emotions, it could have different meanings. The signs are shown to the complexity of their grammatical function. In spoken languages, words act certainly according to their grammatical class.  In sign languages, signs may function differently depending on the sentence structure, and context of the conference. So, it is common for a single sign to shift functions as a noun, verb, or adjective in different sentences, conversations or contexts. Since sign languages are not written systems, the use of words came from a written language and the grammatical function of the sign must carefully avoid being perplexed. For example, a word for a sign that can be a noun in English, but the sign itself can function as a noun or adjective. In Grammar classes, there are the same kinds of grammatical groups are getting into sign language. In ASL, there are different classes of verbs that have been described. The verbs may include different kinds of information such as: where the action takes place, or who does the action (subject) and who receives the action (object). It can be same to some sign couples in FSL. Examples of these noun-verb/adjective couples in FSL are LOW-BATTERY, BATTERY-FULL. Sign languages are different from spoken languages or written. A sign may be used as a noun, adjective or verb that depends on the sentence. Sometimes, a single sign can already be similar a share of a sentence or even a whole sentence. For example, the single sign â€Å"observe† may already mean, I observe her carefully. There are classifiers in the traditional signs appearing in FSL. These can be easy classifier hand shapes to understand classifier predicates. The classifiers observed in FSL also have classifier hand shapes and movement roots like those described in ASL and BSL. An example is the sign LRT/MRT. The classifier hand shape is the whole object type the hand shape looks like the rail transit car. The movement of the classifier is a process movement root. The LRT/MRT moves forward. The straightforward movement of the hand represents the forward action of the LRT/MRT. In Nouns, the signs included in a group have always been noted in a dialogue as nouns. The traditional signs included food, events, places, persons and various objects. It included also common and proper nouns. For example,  MANGO, ELECTRIC FAN, JOLLIBEE, HAPPY etc In Nouns/Verbs, the signs may switch in grammatical class that depends on the dialogue structure. The signs however, show to only have a single form unconcerned of their grammatical function. Most of them cannot be able to show always the movement repetitions strongly characteristic of noun-verbs pairs in American Sign Language. For example, AGREE, AGREEMENT, CONCLUSION/CONCLUDE etc In Nouns/Adjectives, the signs are noted to have nominal or adjectival functions. For example, BETTER, FAST, HOT, HAPPINESS, EXHAUSTED etc In Verbs/Adjectives, the signs are noted to be used as adjectival predicates. For example, CORRUPT/TO BE CORRUPT, PASSIVE/TO BE PASSIVE, SUFFER/BE IN SUFFERING etc In Lexicalized Finger spelled signs, the signs are aged which are more commonly noted among Deaf signers in their forties to sixties. Examples of Lexicalized Finger spelled signs are #AIRCORN, #TV etc In Lexicalized Initialized signs, the signs are from variant grammatical classes and used two or three decades. For example, ANYBODY, 13 PESO, GRADE VII etc In Structurally complex signs, the signs placed together since features of their structure are not as straightforward as the other signs shown so far. Signs included compound signs and agreement verbs. For example, HOW MUCH, DONT KNOW, HARDHEAD etc In Semantically complex signs, the signs groups included idioms, belonging to variants of ASL, possessive pronouns, negations, various phrases, and classifier predicates (signers perspective). For example, DESTROY FOOD, PLEASE, RUDE etc (IDIOM) FSL signs showed to be adverbs. The non-manual signal noted in FSL signs that  moves of the tongue. The tongue of non-manual signs is same but their meaning is mixed-up, not clear or hard to understand. For example TEXT-GARBLED describes a text message that is hard to understand. In FSL, the pointing pronouns are noted in commonly using among Deaf Filipino signers which usually include the index finger. The signs use an open hand. They show ownership or possessions. The question is always used by FSL sign. The eye gaze is forward the person who asked the question. The first location of the hand is near the object being talked about. The last location of the hand, and its palm, faces the person being asked. One example of pronouns is the TOUCH-MINE. In space as time, the place where the signer stands represents the time now. The space in front of the signer shows the future and the space behind the signer shows the past. Signs related to time such as LATELY, NEXT DAY, LAST WEEK AGO, NOW are produced at different points of this timeline. One example of time is the TOMORROW-TOMORROW, LAST-TWO-YEARS etc In idioms, there are several signs that are called Deaf idioms in the book Love Signs. But, the need is more researching if the signs are all true idioms. It uses expressions unique to Deaf Filipino signers. For example, the sign ISTAMBAY of the literal meaning is a person who stands around for a long time. The figurative meaning can be a verb or adjective, describing a jobless person. A sentence is a group of words that completes ideas and can be followed by a period, question mark or exclamation point. There are two most important of English grammar; knowledge of writing and allows students to study the grammar of other languages completely. There are the most important elements of the sentence, the verb, subject, direct object, indirect object, complement, multiple-word modifiers, modifiers, clauses and phrases. Sometimes, many sentences have only a verb and a subject. It also includes the parts of speech; noun and articles, verbs and verbals, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs and prepositions and conjunctions. A subject is the name of a person, animal, place, thing and event that the sentence about. For example, â€Å"The house is a big†. The house is the subject of the verb big, answering the question who or what big? Another example, â€Å"The tiger eats the animal†. The tiger is the subject of the verb eats, answering the question who or what eats the animal; he tiger eats the animal. A verb is a word that describes an action. For example, â€Å"The goat eats grass†. The verb eats describes the action performed by the subject goat. Another example, â€Å"Deaf people walk on the street†. The verb walk describes the action performed by the subject Deaf people. A direct object is the noun that receives the action. For example, â€Å"Everyone ruins your precious things†. What is the action? ruins. What receives the action? precious things, it is the direct object of the verb ruins. Another example, â€Å"Your friend got your ballpen†. What receives the action? ballpen. Ballpen is the direct object of the verb got. An indirect object is the noun or pronoun that receives the direct object. For example, â€Å"The professor helps his student’s education†. The direct object of helps is education. His student is the indirect object. Another example, â€Å"I give the laptop to you†. The direct object of give is laptop. You is the indirect object. Complement is the word or words that complete the meaning of verbs that express feeling, appearing, being, or seeming. Such verbs are classified as copulative or linking verbs. For example, â€Å"I am feeling sick†. The verb feeling does not describe action, but does describe a state of being. Feeling links the subject I with sick is the complement of feeling. Another example, â€Å"His family seems worried of you†. The copulative verb seems links his family and worried, the complement of seems. Modifiers may be a single word or groups of words, make the identity that describes a verb, subject, direct object, indirect object, complements or  other modifier. For example, â€Å"My brother eats quickly his dinner†. The verb eats is made more precise is modified by quickly his dinner. Another example, â€Å"They lost my new laptop†. The direct object laptop is modified by my new. Multiple-word modifiers are included of phrases or clauses. A phrase is a logical grouping of words that does not contain a subject verb, while a clause is a logical grouping of words that does contain a subject and verb. For example, â€Å"My sister who was the only who love me goes to my graduation†. In this sentence, the clause who was the only who love me modifies my sister; the phrases to my graduation modifies goes. The first multiple word modifiers have both subject who and verb love. For this reason, the modifier is a clause. To my graduation has neither subject nor verb, so it is a phrase. A clause is a group of related words that includes a subject and a verb. It may also include an object or complement, an indirect object and modifiers. If it makes a complete idea and can stand alone as a sentence, it is called an independent clause. On the other hand, if it cannot stand alone as a sentence, it is called a subordinate or dependent clause. For example, â€Å"My family and I eat our lunch together and then we go to the mall†. This sentence consists of two independent clauses. Each clause has its own subject and verb: My family and I eat, we go. Either clause can stand as a complete sentence. Each makes a statement that does not depend on the other. The conjunction here is and, which is classified as a coordinating conjunction. Other coordinating conjunctions are but, for, so, or, nor and yet. A phrase is a group of two or more words that does not include a subject and a verb. It has many forms and functions. It is useful to learn and recognize phrases and to identify their functions as modifiers, subjects, complements and objects. For example, â€Å"His hobby was playing basketball†. The phrase playing basketball functions as the complement of was, a copulative verb. Playing is also a gerund. Another example, â€Å"My classmates want to finish their project early†. The phrase to finish their project  early is the object of want. Notice that to finish is an infinitive, which is one of the three types of verbals. In Grammar classes, there are classifiers in a spoken language as nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs. It includes pronouns and prepositions that have a more limited meaning. They can display relationships between nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. In spoken languages, a word cannot be able to change its meaning. For example, if a word is a noun, it is always used as a noun. It does not develop into a verb, adjective, or adverb. In a spoken language, an idiom is a group of words with a unique meaning. It has two meanings, its literal and figurative meanings. The literal meaning is the independent meaning of the words, put together as a group, while the figurative meaning is the new meaning of the whole group of words. The new figurative meaning may not be related at all to the literal meaning of the words. Problem The Deaf students of the School of Deaf Education in Applied and Studies, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde has a problem on English grammar because they do not know how to use the structure of the English language. They also believe that the sign languages structure is the same or similar to the written English. As a result, it is hard for them to communicate with the hearing people through writing. Solution Through the creation of websites that utilizes flash player to describe the structures of FSL and Written English which can be arranged in such a way that the visual animation highlights the difference between the FSL and the written English structures. This way, it will be more meaningful and can be easily understood, remembered and applied by the deaf and as well as the  hearing students in communicating with each other. Furthermore, the students can understand the differences in using FSL structure and English written rules. Description of the Project Objectives †¢ To encourage the deaf students to understand the structural difference between the Filipino Sign Language (FSL) and the written English. †¢ To help Deaf students know how to translate FSL to written English by conceptualization, and Hearing students to translate written English to FSL by conceptualization. †¢ To promote and encourage the hearing people to understand the structures of sign language (FSL) and use it to communicate with the deaf. †¢ To assist the Deaf people how to communicate with the hearing people through written English. †¢ To create the flash website visually that can help hearing and deaf people to understand easily the structures of FSL and Written English. Target Audience †¢ Deaf and hearing people †¢ College students Medium Websites that uses flash player. Adobe Photoshop is a graphic editing program that makes easily website which  it can support website. ( (I CAN’T UNDERSTAND THIS KUYA!!!!) Video or Adobe Premiere is a technology of recording that supports website to make deaf and hearing people easily understandable. Pre-Production Process Project Step 1: Brainstorming to choose good topics related to Deaf issues Step 2: Choose three best topics pertaining to Deaf issues Step 3: Submit to my instructor the topics pertaining to Deaf issues Step 4: Consultation with my instructor to explain to me how to write the document Step 4: Share the topics to my classmates to help me select the best topic Step 5: Consultation with my Coordinator for editing my topic Step 6: Ask my English and FSL coordinators their opinion and to suggest what is the best topic to be written Step 7: Approval of the chosen topic by my CG coordinator Step 8: Research on the books related to my selected topic Step 9: Consult with my English and FSL coordinator Step 10: Writing paper (context) Step 11: Review and edit the paper Step 12: Draft sample design that is related to my topic Step 13: Print the paper Step 14: Final presentation Conclusion Therefore, this paper can be the seed to help both the deaf and hearing people understand the difference in structures of FSL and written English in an easy manner. For Deaf people, this paper will help them how to translate FSL to written English. Likewise, it will help the hearing people on translating written English to FSL. Furthermore, it will also help the hearing and deaf people to communicate with each other easily. The creation of websites utilizing flash player as visual aids highlighting the difference between the FSL and the written English structures will assist both the deaf and hearing people in communicating among themselves and with each other. It will also enhance the communication skills of the individuals; provide greater opportunities in understanding the world of the silent people, knowledge, cooperation and collaboration for the greater and common good of the society. References Tiongson, Peripi A., Hermosisima, Jun, Domingo, Raphael and Bustos, Marie Therese A. (ED.) (2004). AN INTRODUCTION TO FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE: Part l. Understanding Structure | Easy to read version |. [pp. 1-160] Filipino: Philippine Deaf Resource Center, Inc. TRADITIONAL SIGNS. (2004), AN INTRODUCTION TO FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE: Part ll: Traditional and Emerging Signs [pp.1-154] Philippines: Philippine Deaf Resource Center, Inc. Estiller-Corpuz, Marites Racquel [ED.]. Filipino Sign Language; A complication of signs from regions of the Philippines, Filipino: Philippine Federation of the Deaf. Ehrlich, Eugene (2000, 1991, 1976). SCHAUMS OUTLINES: English Grammar, American: McGraw-Hill companies, Inc. Annex Initial design (Website) Gantt Chart Daily TR

CHINA TAIWAN :: essays research papers

Taiwan opposition leader James Soong urged the island's independence-leaning leaders to take advantage of his "bridge-building" trip to mainland China to seek cross-strait peace. "People from both sides of the strait are longing for peace ... Mainland leaders have also showed sincerity in improving cross-strait relations," Soong told reporters at the airport upon return from his nine-day visit to China. He added Friday that China had announced a number of concrete steps to boost bilateral ties, including a promise to push for direct air links in 2006. "Peace is in our own hands," said Soong, chairman of the People First Party. Pushing for independence for Taiwan, he warned, could destroy peace prospects. China sees Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting eventual reunification since they split at the end of the civil war in 1949 and has regularly threatened to invade if the island moves towards formal independence. Soong also said Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian had "promised not to promote independence through constitutional amendments". He was referring to Saturday's elections, in which voters were to elect a 300-member National Assembly to decide on a package of constitutional reforms, including whether referenda could be used to amend the constitution. Beijing has opposed referenda, which it sees as a step Taiwan could take toward declaring formal independence. Saturday's poll is seen as a litmus test of support for the island's independence-minded leaders and the opposition, who favour closer ties with China, following recent visits there by two opposition leaders. Soong's trip followed the historic visit to China by Lien Chan, chairman of the main opposition Kuomintang party. Both Lien and Soong said their trips were meant to bridge differences between the two rival governments and pave the way for peace talks. Beijing also agreed to simplify visa application procedures for Taiwanese and to offer incentives to Taiwanese studying on the mainland, according to a joint statement released after Soong's talks with China's Hu Jintao. Hu and Soong also pledged to push for cross-strait peace talks under a "two sides, one China" principle and oppose independence for Taiwan. President Chen, who stresses Taiwan's independence and sovereignty, immediately rejected the peace overture. "Should we accept the 'one-China principle', Taiwan would be Hong Kong-ized and become part of the People's Republic of China, a scenario which is by no means acceptable to the 23 million people in Taiwan," Chen said Thursday.

Jared Loughner

Jared Loughner. On January 8, 2011 U. S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot along with eighteen other people at a public meeting in a grocery store parking lot near Tucson Arizona. Six of the eighteen people shot that day died. This included Arizona District Court Chief Judge John Roll and nine-year-old Christina-Taylor Green. Gifford was Holding a meeting called â€Å"Congress on Your Corner† in a Safeway store when she was shot through the head at point blank range. 22-year old Jared Loughner, a tucson man, was arrested at the scene.Federal prosecutors filed five charges against him, including the attempted assassination of a member of Congress and the assassination of a federal judge. Even though Loughner had a history of drug possession charges and had been suspended by his college for disruptive behavior, the motive for the shooting remains unclear. Invoking his right to remain silent , Loughner did not cooperate with authorities. Jared was found to be Incompetent to stand trial based on medical evaluations by a judge. As a young man in high school Loughner seemed ordinary enough.Occasionally he seemed withdrawn, as a normal teen would be, and a bit nerdy. Loughner loved music and played the saxophone well. Sometime around after Loughner dropped out of Mountain View High School, he didn't seem the same. He began drinking and using drugs including pot and hallucinogens like acid. Neighbors said that Loughner was not hostile toward anyone but he certainly did not warm up to anyone either. He didn't care what others thought of him. He had his own opinions and out looks on things and wasn't afraid to share them.Loughner's friends started noticed a change happening. Loughner started to do strange things. For example he spent months working out so that he could join the army. Then after traveling to the military processing station he told an Army official that he smoked marijuana excessively. Later Loughner passed a drug test, which meant he had n ot been smoking for at least a couple of weeks. After the Army incident Loughner's behavior became more erratic. He started having run-ins with Police for drug possession and alcohol and vandalizing street signs.Loughner started to think that the Government was trying to control him and everyone else in the US. He lost his job at quiznos and an animal shelter because he refused to follow instructions. When classes at Pima Community College began, fellow students were frightened by Loughner's behavior. â€Å"He had this hysterical kind of laugh, laughing to himself,† says Benjamin McGahee, his math professor. McGahee says that Loughner would say nonsensical things about â€Å"denying math. † One student in the back of McGahee's classroom said she was scared for her life, literally.By now Loughner was clearly developing a mental illness. Many signs suggest he had delusional disorder or schizophrenia. The average age of onset for both illnesses is roughly 20, about when L oughner started showing these symptoms. Loughner Became obsessed with lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming is a dream state you can enter when you're half asleep where you are aware that you're dreaming. Loughner used drugs to keep him from falling into deep sleep which then encourage lucid dreaming.Last year the European Science Foundation reported that lucid dreaming creates distinct patterns of electrical activity in the brain that have similarities to the patterns made by psychotic conditions. Paranoid delusions can happen when lucid dermas are played over and over again when the person awakes. According to his friend Bryce Tierney, Loughner was replaying his lucid dreams in a dream journal. Loughner is being treated at a Missouri prison facility here he has been forcible medicated for about seven months in a bid to try to make him mentally fit to stand trial.Loughner has pleaded not guilty to 49 charges from the Shooting in Tucson. Loughner has not been able to stand trill because U. S. District Judge Larry Burns has ruled that he is not mentally fit to stand trial since experts have concluded that Loughner suffers from schizophrenia. JUdge Burns says that Loughner will eventually be ready for trial after he receives more treatment . Loughner's current stay is set to the end June 7th. Even though it is said that Loughner's condition is improving, His lawyers ave been fighting the governments efforts to forcible medicate him. Over the summer of 2011 the appeals court temporarily stopped Loughners forced medication, but it resumed when mental health experts concluded that Loughner's condition was worsening with out the medication. Since his arrest Loughner has shown bizarre behavior. He was forcibly removed from a May 25 Court hearing when Loughner lowered his head inches from the court room table then lifted his head and began a loud, angry rant.But since he has been forcibly medicated his mental condition has improved. Loughner has sat still and expressionless for seven hours in a hearing in September . But the problem is weather a mentally ill person who is considered very dangerous should be medicated. Prosecutes say the decisions is for officials to make but Loughner's lawyers say its up to the judge. So far prison officials have decided to medicate Loughner. His lawyers say that forcibly medication Loughner is violating his due-process rights.